Christ the new Adam, in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, fully reveals man to himself and brings to light his most high calling (Gaudium et Spes, n.22).

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Cause for abhorrence, not for pride

(UK Defence Secretary) Mr Fox will say at an arms exhibition in London he is "proud" that the UK is
the world's second biggest defence exporter and that helping the firms prosper
is in the national interest. [Source: BBC News]

The teaching of the Second Vatican Council's constitution Gaudium et Spes is that those who enter military service, and carry out their duties in a proper manner, "contribute to the maintenance of peace" (cf n.79). This implies a legitimacy to the reasonable production of armaments to enable them to do that task. It does not, however, legitimise a massive commercial production and export of armaments. In the context of the former confrontation between the nations of the West and the Soviet bloc, the same constitution taught (n.81):

... the arms race is one of the greatest curses on the human race and the harm it inflicts on the poor is more than can be endured. And there is every reason to fear that if it continues it will bring forth those lethal disasters which are already in preparation.

More recently, and writing in the contemporary context, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace has observed that (with my emphases added in bold):

Weapons cannot be considered as any other good exchanged on the global, regional
or national market. Their possession, production and trade have deep ethical and
social implications and they must be regulated by paying due attention to
specific principles of the moral and legal order. Among the principles there is
the principle of sufficiency, which allows States to possess only the
means necessary to guarantee the legitimate protection of their people. [Statement on behalf of the Holy See October 2006]

The Church's social teaching proposes the goal of “general,
balanced and controlled disarmament”.[1067] The enormous increase in arms
represents a grave threat to stability and peace. The principle of sufficiency,
by virtue of which each State may possess only the means necessary for its
legitimate defence, must be applied both by States that buy arms and by those
that produce and furnish them.[1068] Any excessive stockpiling or
indiscriminate trading in arms cannot be morally justified. Such phenomena must
also be evaluated in light of international norms regarding the
non-proliferation, production, trade and use of different types of arms. Arms
can never be treated like other goods exchanged on international or domestic
markets....[Compendium of the Social Teaching of the Church n.508]

And referring to some of the types of weapons systems likely to be on show at the DSEI, and likely to be sold to more sizeable overseas markets:

Appropriate measures are needed to control the production, sale, importation
and exportation of small arms and light weapons, armaments that facilitate many
outbreaks of violence to occur. The sale and trafficking of such weapons
constitute a serious threat to peace: these arms kill and are used for the most
part in internal and regional conflicts; their ready availability increases both
the risk of new conflicts and the intensity of those already underway. The
position of States that apply severe controls on the international transfer of
heavy arms while they never, or only very rarely, restrict the sale and
trafficking of small arms and light weapons is an unacceptable contradiction. It
is indispensable and urgent that Governments adopt appropriate measures to
control the production, stockpiling, sale and trafficking of such arms [1076] in
order to stop their growing proliferation, in large part among groups of
combatants that are not part of the military forces of a State.[Compendium of the Social Teaching of the Church n. 511]

When the DSEI exhibition took place two years ago, I was able to take part in the protest vigil that took place the evening before the exhibition opened (see here, and scroll down to the report dated 8th September 2009); the same page reports the protest vigil that took place on 12th September 2011, with Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood Diocese as one of the participants. The Defence Secretary's reported "pride" in the UK's status as the second biggest defence exporter (or, to use a more honest term, as the second biggest arms trader ) is, I believe, at best misplaced and at worst abhorrent.

Prayer for England

We come to you, most holy Virgin. We are children of England, your dowry. Keep us faithful to the Gospel of Jesus your Son. Keep us in the unity of the Catholic faith and the power of hope.

Mother of love, protect all the families of England. Help them to stay together. Give them the happiness of loving and passing on life.

You are the Mother of Christ, our Saviour. Open our hearts to people who are suffering. May each of us offer signs of friendship and welcome to people who are less well off than us.

Faithful Virgin, help us in our lives. Help us to choose the way in life that Jesus wants us to follow. May we face the problems of life today, together with people of other Churches and religions.

You praised the great things done by the Lord. You sang about how God kept his promises to the people of Israel. We bless you because you believed in the Word of God and in his Love which lasts for ever and ever.

Disclaimer

The content of this blog reflects my own point of view on the matters discussed. It does not in any way reflect the views of any organisations to which I may have links.

The use of the word "Catholic" in the title "Catholic Commentary" is not intended to imply that this blog has received the consent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, or any other ecclesiastical authority, for the use of the description "Catholic" (cf 1983 Code of Canon Law c.216). Such consent has not been sought, and the blog remains a personal initiative within the meaning of c.216.

I have for some time considered changing the name of the blog in the light of the provisions of c.216, but have preferred not to on the grounds that my use of the word "Catholic" is unlikely to be misunderstood.